I’ve been to Hadongkwan (하동관) more than once, and this time I went back to the COEX Mall location in Gangnam.
I arrived a little after noon on a Saturday, and the restaurant was already busy.
Since I was eating alone, I took a two-person table and ordered the biggest gomtang on the menu:
30-gong Gomtang – KRW 30,000
This wasn’t my first time eating at Hadongkwan.
I actually have memories of coming to Hadongkwan with my grandfather when I was young, so this is one of those restaurants that feels a little different to me from somewhere I’m visiting for the first time.
For this meal, I asked for my 30-gong with offal included.
The bowl came with a clear beef broth, rice, plenty of beef and offal, and kimchi on the side.
It looked simple.
But that simplicity is a big part of Hadongkwan.
The History of Hadongkwan
Hadongkwan’s story goes back to 1939, when it first opened in Suha-dong, near Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul.
The restaurant was founded by Kim Yong-taek and Ryu Chang-hee, and Ryu Chang-hee’s gomtang became the foundation of the restaurant that would continue for generations. Historical accounts trace the business through succeeding family members from the 1960s onward.
Hadongkwan remained in Suha-dong for decades.
Then, as redevelopment transformed the Cheonggyecheon area, the old restaurant building was demolished. In 2007, Hadongkwan moved from Suha-dong to its present Myeongdong location. Contemporary reporting at the time described the move as the end of nearly seven decades in its original neighborhood.
Rather than leaving everything behind, pieces of the old restaurant were taken to the new location. Accounts of the move describe old furniture, the entrance, and other elements from the Suha-dong restaurant being preserved at the Myeongdong location.
The restaurant eventually expanded beyond Myeongdong.
In November 2013, Hadongkwan opened its first directly operated branch near National Assembly Station in Yeouido.
The COEX Mall location opened on November 27, 2014, becoming its second directly operated branch.
Then in 2018, another directly operated location opened at The-K Tower near Yeouido Station. Hadongkwan’s official website currently lists four locations in Seoul: Myeongdong, National Assembly Station, COEX Mall, and Yeouido Station. The company also states that it operates its own branches rather than a separate sub-brand.
Today, the Myeongdong main restaurant remains the location most closely associated with Hadongkwan’s long history.
Hadongkwan COEX Mall
The location I visited for this post is the Hadongkwan COEX Mall branch.
It opened in 2014 inside COEX Mall in Gangnam, making it much easier to visit Hadongkwan if you are spending time around COEX, Samseong-dong, or Bongeunsa.
Unlike the original restaurant in central Seoul, this location sits inside one of Seoul’s largest shopping and convention complexes.
That also makes it convenient if you are visiting places such as COEX, Starfield Library, or the surrounding Gangnam area.
Hadongkwan COEX Mall Menu and Prices
Hadongkwan has a very focused menu.
Gomtang is the main dish, with different portions depending on how much meat you want.
The prices below are from the actual menu during my visit.
Gomtang – Korean Beef Soup
Regular Gomtang
KRW 17,000
Special Gomtang
KRW 19,000
25-gong Gomtang
KRW 25,000
30-gong Gomtang
KRW 30,000
The unusual 25-gong and 30-gong names are part of Hadongkwan’s own ordering vocabulary.
The number corresponds to the price and a larger amount of meat. Hadongkwan has long been known for its own terminology for different combinations and portions of meat.
Suyuk – Boiled Beef
Medium
KRW 40,000
Large
KRW 60,000
Other Items
Steamed Rice
KRW 1,000
Coke / Cider
KRW 3,000
Soju
KRW 6,000
Beer
KRW 6,000
One thing I noticed during this visit was that kimchi was no longer listed separately on the menu.
I remembered seeing it on an older menu.
And yes, I noticed because I actually like Hadongkwan’s kimchi.
What I Ate: 30-gong Gomtang
I ordered the 30-gong Gomtang.
KRW 30,000
And I asked for mine with offal included.
Hadongkwan’s gomtang looks fairly simple at first.
The broth is clear rather than milky, which makes it look very different from a bowl of seolleongtang.
But the broth I had was much richer than its appearance suggested.
It had plenty of beef flavor without feeling excessively oily, and I didn’t notice an unpleasant smell from either the beef or the offal.
My 30-gong came with a generous amount of meat.
There were tender pieces of beef as well as offal, which gave the bowl a nice mix of textures.
Salt and pepper were available at the table, so you could adjust the seasoning yourself.
I prefer tasting the broth first.
Then, if I feel it needs anything, I add a little seasoning afterward.
The rice is already served together with the broth, so as you continue eating, the whole bowl naturally becomes a complete rice-and-soup meal.
And then there is the kimchi.
I’ve always liked Hadongkwan’s kimchi.
The combination itself is incredibly simple:
hot beef soup, rice, meat, and kimchi.
But it works.
I would eat some beef, take another spoonful of broth and rice, then go back to the kimchi.
The broth stayed rich without becoming too heavy, and the different textures of the beef and offal kept the bowl interesting until the end.
There is also a personal reason I still enjoy coming back.
I used to eat at Hadongkwan with my grandfather when I was young.
So even though this particular meal was at the COEX Mall branch, eating Hadongkwan gomtang still brings back some of those memories.
Hadongkwan Locations in Seoul
Hadongkwan currently lists four locations in Seoul.
Hadongkwan Myeongdong Main Restaurant
Hadongkwan Myeongdong (하동관 명동본점)
Address:
12 Myeongdong 9-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Korean Address:
서울특별시 중구 명동9길 12
Phone:
+82 2-776-5656
This is Hadongkwan’s main restaurant and the location that replaced the original Suha-dong restaurant after the 2007 move.
If you want to experience the location most closely connected to Hadongkwan’s long history, this is the one.
Hadongkwan National Assembly Station
Hadongkwan National Assembly Station (하동관 국회의사당역직영점)
Address:
1F, Samhee Excon Venture Tower
15-24 Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Phone:
+82 2-785-9292
This location opened on November 21, 2013 as Hadongkwan’s first directly operated branch.
It was also the first Hadongkwan location in the Yeouido area.
The restaurant is located near National Assembly Station, making it a convenient option if you are visiting the western side of Yeouido.
Hadongkwan COEX Mall
Hadongkwan COEX Mall (하동관 코엑스몰직영점)
Address:
B1 J101, 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Korean Address:
서울특별시 강남구 영동대로 513 코엑스몰 B1 J101
Phone:
+82 2-551-5959
This is the location I visited for this post.
The COEX Mall branch opened on November 27, 2014 as Hadongkwan’s second directly operated branch.
Since it is located inside COEX Mall, this is probably the most convenient Hadongkwan location if you are already visiting COEX, Starfield Library, Bongeunsa, or the Samseong area.
Hadongkwan Yeouido Station
Hadongkwan Yeouido Station (하동관 여의도역점)
Hadongkwan Yeouido Station (하동관 여의도역점)
Address:
B1, The-K Tower
50 Yeouinaru-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
Korean Address:
서울특별시 영등포구 여의나루로 50
Phone:
+82 2-761-5656
The Yeouido Station location opened in 2018 inside The-K Tower.
It became Hadongkwan’s third directly operated branch overall and the second Hadongkwan location in the Yeouido area, following the National Assembly Station branch.
Its location near Yeouido Station makes it the more convenient of the two Yeouido branches if you are around the central business district or IFC Mall.
Opening Hours – COEX Mall Location
The opening hours currently listed on Naver Map for the COEX Mall location are:
Daily
10:30 AM – 7:00 PM
Break Time
3:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Last Order
2:30 PM
The restaurant may close earlier if the ingredients prepared for the day sell out.
Since Hadongkwan can finish service early once the day’s ingredients are gone, I wouldn’t leave the visit too late if eating here is one of your plans for the day.
I’ve eaten at Hadongkwan more than once, and the 30-gong Gomtang is still the bowl I like ordering when I want a more generous serving of beef and offal.
The broth looks simple because it is so clear, but it has plenty of beef flavor without feeling overly greasy.
I also like the contrast between the tender beef, the different textures of the offal, the rice in the broth, and the kimchi on the side.
For me, there is another reason Hadongkwan feels familiar.
I used to eat here with my grandfather when I was young, so coming back for a bowl of gomtang still brings back some of those memories.
This particular visit was at the COEX Mall branch in Gangnam, but Hadongkwan’s story began in central Seoul back in 1939.
More than eighty years later, the restaurant is still built around the same simple dish: gomtang.